A Love Across Worlds

Chapter 7: First Encounters

Bella's POV

The early morning fog clung to the coastline as I arrived in Vancouver, the city's skyline looming quietly against the backdrop of the mountains. My heart pounded with every step I took, my mind racing with a thousand different thoughts, all centered on one person. George.

We'd arranged to meet at a small café by the harbor, a place he'd read about and thought would be perfect for our first encounter. As I walked toward the café, my breath hitched, the reality of what I was about to do settling over me. I was going to meet him. The person who had become my closest confidant, my source of hope, my... everything.

When I finally reached the café, I spotted him before he saw me. He was standing by the entrance, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jacket, his red hair a striking contrast against the soft gray sky. He looked just like his photograph-warm, mischievous, and unmistakably him. I took a moment, letting myself breathe in the sight of him, feeling a sense of calm wash over me. This was real. He was real.

As I approached, he turned, his eyes meeting mine, and I saw his face light up with a smile that felt like sunshine breaking through the clouds. I felt my own smile spread, a warmth filling my chest as I took those last few steps.

"Bella," he said, his voice soft, almost reverent, as though he was saying my name for the first time.

"George." I barely managed to breathe the word before he pulled me into a hug, wrapping his arms around me in a way that felt like coming home. I closed my eyes, sinking into the embrace, feeling the strength of his arms around me, his heartbeat steady against mine. It was as if every letter, every shared word had led us to this moment, and I felt like I could stay there forever.

When we finally pulled back, he held my hands, his eyes studying my face as if trying to memorize every detail. "I can't believe you're here," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "You're even more beautiful than I imagined."

I felt my cheeks flush, a shy smile tugging at my lips. "You're not so bad yourself," I replied, my own voice barely above a whisper. "This doesn't feel real."

"It's real," he said, his thumb brushing gently over my knuckles. "You and me. We're here, Bella. And I don't intend to waste a single moment."

We spent the rest of the morning walking along the harbor, talking as if we'd known each other our entire lives. The conversation flowed easily, with laughter and stolen glances, and I found myself forgetting the world around us. We shared stories of our childhoods, little moments from our lives that hadn't made it into our letters, and with each word, I felt the bond between us grow deeper, stronger.

After lunch, we made our way to a quiet spot by the water, where he spread out a small blanket he'd brought, and we sat side by side, watching the gentle waves lap against the shore. The city seemed to fade into the background, leaving just the two of us, cocooned in our own world.

As the sun began to dip lower in the sky, he turned to me, his eyes filled with a vulnerability that took my breath away. "Bella, I know we've only just met, but I feel like I've known you forever. I don't want this to be just a moment. I want this to be the start of something... more."

I reached for his hand, my fingers entwining with his as I met his gaze. "I feel the same way. I don't want to go back to my life without you in it. I want this, George. I want us."

A slow smile spread across his face, and he leaned in, his lips brushing mine in a soft, gentle kiss. It was tender and sweet, filled with the promise of everything we'd shared and everything yet to come. I felt my heart soar, a sense of completeness settling over me as we pulled back, our foreheads resting together.

We spent the rest of the evening planning the days we'd share here in Vancouver-strolls along the beach, cozy dinners in quiet corners of the city, and late-night talks beneath the stars. It felt like a dream, like we were writing the next chapter of our story, one moment at a time.

By the time the sun finally set, casting a warm glow over the water, I knew, without a doubt, that this was where I belonged. Here, with George, in this beautiful, unexpected adventure we were building together.